Decontamination of ochratoxin A by yeasts: possible approaches and factors leading to toxin removal in wine

Biological decontamination of mycotoxins using microorganisms is one of the well-known strategies for the management of mycotoxins in foods and feeds. Yeasts are an efficient biosorbant, used in winemaking to reduce the concentration of harmful substances from the must which affect alcoholic fermentation (medium-chain fatty acids) or which affect wine quality in a negative way (ethyl phenols and sulphur products). In recent years, several studies have demonstrated the ability of yeasts to remove ochratoxin A (OTA) by live cells, cell walls and cell wall extracts, yeast lees. In spite of the physical and chemical methods applied to remove the toxin, the biological removal is considered a promising solution, since it is possible to attain the decontamination without using harmful chemicals and without losses in nutrient value or palatability of decontaminated food. In addition, adsorption is recognized as economically viable, technically feasible and socially acceptable. This paper intends to review the current achievements of OTA removal mediated by yeasts, the recent updates in the selection of strains acting at the same time as starters and as biological tools to remove OTA and the factors affecting the removal process.